benedek said
So what would you say if the marriage is legally valid but Robin will decide right after it that she is not going to the honeymoon with Matthew and not going to continue her relationship with him at all, never sleep with him any more, move out from their common flat and legally initiate a divorce? Is this really that much different from a scenario when Robin runs away from the church in her wedding dress and the wedding is not valid? For me the two things are almost the same. Even I would say I would prefer the first one because that is a little bit less pathetic. Do you really see here a big difference? Do you think Robin is less ethical if she starts a relationship with Strike soon after the wedding day under the first scenario than under the second? Or do you think she is less likely to do that?

I have a let's call it a thing (in movies/books/tv-shows) and with characters I don't like I don't want them to win at all! Your two scenarios are kinda of the same thing but I find it superfluous to marry him in order to leave him after an hour! I still believe JKR will not initiate a romantic relationship between Robin and Cormoran in the fourth book even if Robin files for a divorce the next day after her wedding or leaves the church without being married! It's to soon and Robin doesn't even realize how she feels! Not once in CoE did she wonder why she makes those thoughts about Cormoran and his girlfriend or gives those thoughts wrong motives all the time!

So what would you say if the marriage is legally valid but Robin will decide right after it that she is not going to the honeymoon with Matthew and not going to continue her relationship with him at all, never sleep with him any more, move out from their common flat and legally initiate a divorce? Is this really that much different from a scenario when Robin runs away from the church in her wedding dress and the wedding is not valid? For me the two things are almost the same. Even I would say I would prefer the first one because that is a little bit less pathetic. Do you really see here a big difference? Do you think Robin is less ethical if she starts a relationship with Strike soon after the wedding day under the first scenario than under the second? Or do you think she is less likely to do that?

I guess you are right and the most logical explanation is that he without realizing it wanted to do something to prevent Robin for making a mistake because he knows better after what he went through in his previous relationship but I'm sure he is late! If JKR said indeed that we must read the last part to know if she married Matthew (and in another tweet before CoE was published her answer in the same question was "you must read the book to find out), Cormoran came to late and now we have to wait and see how much her wedding will last! God I hate this scenario but I guess it will happen and I have to deal with it! Now the only thing left I wonder about is if the author of another serie I read is going to kill the main characters wife or not! Just great!

So let me come back to your great list of reasons. All of them (expect for the second one, I would say) sound more or less plausible for the first sight. And this shows nicely how tricky Rowling can be. And it is also one of the reasons why I consider the ending a cliffhanger.

Despite the above, as I have already mentioned, I have my favorite one. And that one is not only my favorite because I want that to happen (I do want that to happen, though 🙂 ), but also because having read CoE a few times, I find that the closest to the truth.

But maybe I'm wrong. Feel free (anybody) to challenge me.

Caitlin said

He didn't reach her by calling her and wanted to tell her as soon as possible before they grew further apart, or she finds another job that he is sorry for firing her or that it all was a plan of his to fend her away from danger!

I don't think it's realistic that she could find a job in two or three weeks considering that he knew that she goes for her honeymoon right after the wedding. Nobody is looking for a job during her honeymoon, but even if she would, it is highly unlikely that a contract would be signed so quickly. There are so many things to negotiate and arrange, even if a job is found.

And, he could have written an email as well.

If her wedding was in London, I might find this reason plausible. But Masham is so far away, and the time and his money were so little, and he was so exhausted, that I can't see why to travel only for this reason.

He wanted to be there for here in what it's considered the happiest moment in a womans life!

No, I can't take it seriously. 🙂 Of course it had to be listed for the sake of completeness, but considering his previous reluctance, it is just not plausible.

He wanted closure to his feelings for her by seeing her marrying Matthew!

Hmm. I think that he had feelings for her almost from the very beginning, and this only grew throughout the story. And he always tried to suppress these feelings. And we also know that despite that he was reluctant to go to her wedding ever since the subject came up (I quoted one sentence from him but for me, all his actions - and non-actions - point toward that). Why would he become suddenly so eager to go? And especially under the most difficult circumstances?

Also, I think knowing that she got married, and went to (and returned from) her honeymoon could have worked almost the same way. I don't see how seeing her on the wedding could add as much to his attempted closure of his feelings that he went despite all the serious obstacles. (Not that I consider that seeing her marrying Matthew or knowing that she is married could make him stop loving her at the first place. 🙂 )

Subconsously he wanted to stop her from making a mistake by marrying Matthew!

Yes, for me this is the answer that best fits to the story. My theory is that at a point (when she was attacked) he realized that he cannot keep their relationship collegial and this is why he tried to distance her from him (first not seeing her, saying things like "there is no we at the moment" and finally firing her), but later he realized that he cannot live without her. I find this reason serious enough to take all the hassle and travel to Masham.

He concidered that by going to her wedding he could manage for her to forgive him more easly and show her that he cares for her and that he wants her back to work with him!

Yes. We know that she was desperate to get back to him but I agree that he was not so sure about that. And I also agree that by turning up on the wedding, despite all the difficulties, he wanted to show that he cares. But is it only about that he cares about her getting back to work? For me putting so much effort in turning up on the wedding is much much more personal. Actually, I would say that his firing of her was much more personal.

He thought that calling her again or write to her is to impersonal to make things right between them and if she goes away for her honeymoon it will be to late!

It is quite impersonal, of course, but did he seriously think that her wedding will be the right moment to discuss in detail what happened, and why? And that they'll have enough time for that? And: did he exactly know his motives why he did that? And: why was it so important for him to be there in time? For a discussion, it doesn't really matter so much.... (During the ceremony, they can't discuss, anyway...)

A personal discussion is very important, I totally agree, but I not necessarily exactly on the day of the wedding. Why would it be too late after the honeymoon? (Or maybe during that?) Provided that he lets her know via email or whatever that he is eager to work with her in the future as well and looking forward to discuss the things personally when she gets back.

benedek said
He was just wrestling with a serial killer less than 24 hours before the wedding, his life was in danger, got seriously injured, was treated in hospital and questioned by the police almost all night, and had no money at all. Why didn't he just stay at home and called/wrote later?

Just one and a half months before the wedding (on the 14th of May), he was like: "Offhand, he could think of literally nothing he wanted to do less than watch Robin marry Matthew."

There are a few reasons I can think of...
He didn't reach her by calling her and wanted to tell her as soon as possible before they grew further apart, or she finds another job that he is sorry for firing her or that it all was a plan of his to fend her away from danger!
He wanted to be there for here in what it's considered the happiest moment in a womans life!
He wanted closure to his feelings for her by seeing her marrying Matthew!
Subconsously he wanted to stop her from making a mistake by marrying Matthew!
He concidered that by going to her wedding he could manage for her to forgive him more easly and show her that he cares for her and that he wants her back to work with him!
He thought that calling her again or write to her is to impersonal to make things right between them and if she goes away for her honeymoon it will be to late!
If I could give credit to the optimistic voice in me I would go by: he did wanted to stop her wedding but didn't realize it when he made the decision to go there and I hope he succeeded it!

He was just wrestling with a serial killer less than 24 hours before the wedding, his life was in danger, got seriously injured, was treated in hospital and questioned by the police almost all night, and had no money at all. Why didn't he just stay at home and called/wrote later?

Just one and a half months before the wedding (on the 14th of May), he was like: "Offhand, he could think of literally nothing he wanted to do less than watch Robin marry Matthew."